Remus and Methos: Student and Teacher
by charlie1902
Summary: Remus smiled his teacher did it on purpose if the man classed you as his friend and you needed him he would know. Of course he couldn’t just say 'hey I’m here to help wadda ya want' no he had to moan and complain and drive said friend completely mad
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Remus and Methos: Student and Teacher  
**Author:** charlie1902  
**Fandoms:** Harry Potter / Highlander

**Genre: **Friendship  
**Rating:** K+

**Warning: **None

**Spoilers: **None  
**Summery:** Methos is Merlin and Remus was born in Ancient Rome: how does Methos help his student?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters you recognise but do own the ones you don't. This is my way of loving them.

Story

Remus was so tired: he was 287 years old. For 284 of them he had been a werewolf and 260 an immortal. He was proud of the fact that in all that time – in all those transformations all the terrible, painful hours he spent as a mindless monster he had never hurt, bitten or killed anyone – except for himself and his teacher. That sole time had been his teacher's fault though.

As an immortal and a werewolf if his teacher had not been all gang-ho about survival Remus would have allowed some young hunter to take his head a long time ago. He thought about it more and more and often wondered if his curse would be passed on.

After so many years of suffering and hiding he just decided he would search for his teacher and plead for help, though he had no idea exactly what his very annoying and sarcastic teacher could do to help, Remus was convinced the man could help. Just as he finished packing his few belongings away the man he sought turned up on his doorstep, soaking wet – a state he really hated.

Remus smiled – his teacher did it on purpose. No matter when or how if he classed you as his friend and you needed him he would know and appear. Of course the sarcastic old bugger couldn't just say 'hey I'm here to help wadda ya want – no he had to moan and complain and drive said friend completely mad.

"I hate being wet – did I tell you about the time I was wet at King Harold's coronation – nightmare from beginning to end I tell you I just . . ."

"Yes you told me that story – at least three times the last time you invited yourself to stay with me if I remember." There was a tiny pause,

"No, no, no I told it to you twice – the third time you're thinking of the time I spent in prison for his assassination. Remember – his stupid guards arrested me because I had fallen in the river so I was wet and the girl who actually killed him had escaped by fleeing into the river. The fact that I was up stream and any sensible royal assassinator would have swam down stream because really you'd get so much further . . . Remus?" the immortal werewolf was quietly chuckling as he fetched two bottles of muggle beer,

"Yes Pierce?"

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Yes Pierce."

"Damn puppy, honestly no respect for your betters!" Remus held the two bottles close to him as he sat across from Methos. He silently raised an eyebrow and waited. Methos stared at him: then looked down at the beers in his hand . . . and then he looked at Remus in the eye.

Remus took a sip of his own beer. Until very recently it had been dangerous to live in the wizarding world as a werewolf. When people found out (and they always did sooner or later) he was killed or chased out. He hated all the secrets he was forced to keep from his friends – most immortals didn't know about magic and most wizards didn't know about immortals and that was for the best Methos always told him with a knowing look of remembered pain. Muggle mortals though – they didn't know anything and Remus was forced to lie to them three times over.

Remus could feel the irritation of the man in front of him and it made him take his time and saviour each sip of beer. He knew he could never win against the might that was his teacher and as such was not surprised when with a tug of magic the beer glass flew out of his tightly clasp grasp and into that of the older immortal and more powerful wizard.

After one long slip Methos sank into his sprawl – the one that Remus knew meant he was comfortable and at ease and ready to help his friend any way needed. Remus hated asking for any help from anyone but with Methos he never needed too: the older immortal knew what he needed and gave it to him. Methos and Remus finished their beers in a comfortable silence and as Remus lent back into his sofa after putting his empty glass on the nearby table a bright glow enveloped him and though he did not know what it was he trusted and offered his thanks as he did unknowingly every time and then his body disappeared and in its place a tiny baby quiet and watchful lay safe within the ancients arms.

Methos finished his beer and placed it next to the other one and freeing the happy baby from its prison of his previous clothes. Closing his eyes he paused; the baby also stilled as if sensing the need for quiet. It took several long minutes but the man's first movement was a slow smile that travelled to his eyes when he finally opened them again. Remus gurgled and laughed reaching his now baby arms up to touch his friends smiling mouth. A bright blue flash and the two of them disappeared and reappeared two hundred miles away. The building Methos now stood in front of was a small cottage a tiny puff of pink smoke was barely visible coming from the chimney. Though small the cottage was well cared for recently painted a shade of light yellow the fence was half painted white and the garden was filled with brightly coloured flowers.

Holding Remus in one arm Methos concentrated on the cottage. Picturing the layout in his mind – the front door led to a tiny hallway with three doors; one to the east had a long thin room overflowing with books and a desk that was almost entirely hidden a large window faced the front and rear gardens. The door facing west from the hall led to a kitchen the same width as the one to the east but a lot shorter barely enough room for the three kitchen cabinets and two-seater table. A final door on the north wall led to a small bathroom. Behind the kitchen and bathroom was a bedroom.

This room was occupied by two young people one was preparing a bed that disappeared into the wall when not needed the other was tiding the kitchen. This happy couple had been married for nearly ten years and were happy though they desperately wished for a child.

Methos waited quietly for a few minutes until they were both in their small bed then he stretched the house in every direction about 3 metres carefully making sure the biggest area to change was the hall he added height to the chimney and adding a large slowly spiralling staircase he pictured the empty loft and added a hole for the new staircase to fit through. Smoothing the rough floor he added walls that roughly followed the walls of the space below. He changed the slope of the roof from a low slope to that of a high one. When it became too steep to take the extra weight he stopped and cut through it to add dormers. The upstairs now had a hallway, two large rooms with dormers to the east and west and a bathroom in the north.

As he finished changing the layout of the cottage he cooed to baby Remus and all of a sudden the walls were covered with paint and the floors with carpet. All with a similar style as downstairs. He added new furniture and moved the sleeping couple to their new bed. Their previous bedroom changed into a dining room. Once again disappearing and reappearing Methos put the now sleeping Remus in his new crib on a small table next to this a letter appeared addressed to the couple it explained this baby boy was to be taken cared for by them. He warned them times ahead would be difficult but worthwhile. He also wrote he would come if he was needed. He signed the note with a name he had not used for centuries – Merlin.

As payment for all his actions Methos picked a single flower from the front garden of Mr and Mrs Lupin as he left a smile still on his face remembering all the previous times he had done this for his student. As he looked at the flower he wished Remus, for the first time in two thousand years would escape his curse, and not get bitten: this life time.


	2. Chapter 2

Years Later

Remus Lupin woke with a start his eyes flying open and his hand gripping his wand. He had been patrolling in the gardens of a house where death-eaters were supposed to attack. Sitting up he found himself lying in on sofa in a rather empty looking living room. After making sure he was alone he thought back to what he last remembered: Benjy Fenwick they had been joking about something when they had been attacked. Remus hurried to his feet relieved to find his wand still tightly held in his hand. The living room was small with ripped and dirty furniture and rubbish scattered about. A muggle kitchen in a similar state could be seen through an arch. What had happened? Where was he? Seeing no one to ask and nothing to stop him he tried to apparate. He reappeared in the same position – he was trapped!

Suddenly someone appeared in the arch,

"You're safe Remus," the werewolf spun around – wand first. The speaker was a young man wearing muggle clothes. He was calmly drinking out of a bottle. Questions raced through his head but the only one he needed to be answered was,

"Can I leave?" he asked evenly,

"Not yet," the small scholarly looking man didn't move,

"Are you going to stop me?" Remus asked sceptically he knew looks could be deceiving but he couldn't see the threat this stranger posed – dressed in muggle clothes with no wand.

"Yes," as he spoke Remus shouted a stunning spell and leapt for the door. The spell vanished before reaching the man despite him not moving. In shock Remus stopped trying to leave,

"How did you do that?" he asked,

"I'm sure you have many questions most of the answers to those will create more questions. One question in particular will answer most of them so we'll start with it." Remus frowned at the cryptic comments,

"Am I supposed to guess this question?" Remus asked angrily,

"Don't be silly, I have many names but the one you are most likely to know me by is Merlin." Remus was stunned and then he huffed in disbelief,

"You're crazy,"

"You say that every time I tell you it's getting a little old." Merlin said confusing Remus further,

"Want a beer?" he asked the werewolf,

"No I want to leave," he said firmly,

"Not yet, sit we have a lot to talk about."

"I was in the middle of important business and need to urgently return,"

"I'm sorry but your friend Marlene McKinnon and her family were killed by death-eaters last night." Merlin paused as Remus stepped back and dropped onto the sofa,

"Even the baby Maraye?" Remus asked despite knowing the answer, at Merlins' forlorn nod Remus swore and squeezed his eyes shut. He allowed two tears to fall before he re-opened them.

"Benjy Fenwick and yourself were also killed." Merlin added,

"Benjy's dead?" Remus whispered shocked,

"Yes I'm sorry," There was a long pause as Remus struggled with that and Merlin waited for his words to sink in.

"You can't be Merlin then. He would have been able to stop it." Remus said bitterly,

Trust Remus to focus on the area Merlin most wanted to avoid.

"I could have but I've been a leader and a god before and that sort of power no longer appeals to me!" despite the lunacy of his words somehow Remus believed them.

"You could have saved them?"

"I could have," Merlin said again,

"They didn't deserve to die like that." Remus said with emotion,

"Not many mortals die in the way they should." Merlin agreed sadly,

"Mortals?" Remus asked confused,

"Wait I died as well?" Remus looked down at his threadbare clothes as though looking for an injury,

"Yes you died and I brought your body here. Six hours later you returned to life." Remus stared at him with disbelief. Merlin held his hand out to Remus and concentrated. Remus watched in confusion as blue lightening danced around Merlin's hand.

"What is that?" Remus asked with alarm,

"Immortals call it a quickening, a wizard might call it pure magic and mortals usually faint," Merlin said with a grin,

"Immortals?"

"Yes."

"Did you say I died?"

"Yes,"

"And I came back to life?"

"Yes,"

"I can't die?"

"Well you can but in almost all situations you'll come back to life."

"This isn't a death-eater trap or marauder prank?"

"No,"

"That's a … lot to take in," Merlin was please Remus believed him so quickly although he should, as they had been friends for nearly 2000 years – even if Remus denounced his memories every 200-300 years, speaking of which,

"There's more I need to tell you,"

"Can it wait I need to get back to Sirius and the others?"

"That is one of the things I need to talk to you about,"

"What?" Remus was far too perceptive and dread filled him,

"You died Remus you are dead to them and they need to be dead to you!"

"No!"

"I'm sorry but you can never see them again." It was always this part that Merlin hated most about taking an immortal student.

"I can't." Remus said trying not to think about how powerful the stories of Merlin had always said he was.

"They already think you're dead if you go back to them what are they going to think?"

"They'll be happy," Remus said hesitatingly,

"You can't tell them about being an immortal the wizarding world must not know about immortals."

"I have enough secrets," Remus said bitterly,

"I know I'm sorry."

"I can trust them with . . ."

"No." Merlin was firm but Remus was a Gryffindor and standing up to the most powerful wizard in history was not as scary as fighting voldemolt or being a werewolf.

"They know I'm a werewolf." That stopped the great wizard,

"You told them?"

"They found out in our second year at Hogwarts."

"They are good friends then but it doesn't change your options."

"Why not?"

"I told you wizards or muggles must not know about immortals!" Merlin was firm about this,

"Why not?"

"The dark wizard you're fighting now wants power and immortality if he knew about us he would stop at nothing to discover how we revive."

"A similar argument to why wizards stay hidden from muggles," Remus observed,

"The reason I hid the wizarding world from them." Merlin said,

"You could stop him with the click of your fingers?" it was not quite a question,

"I could." Merlin agreed,

"Save so many lives." Remus said with bitter disapproval,

"Until the next dark wizard, wizard or evil ruler."

"What's your problem with that you're immortal you'll be around."

"Immortals can still die and the wizarding world can not rely on me."

"Why not?"

"I don't want that responsibility it's too much – why I left the wizarding world last time. Wizards and witches expecting me to fix all their problems I'm just a guy."

"You're so much more," Remus said almost reverently: exactly the response Merlin wanted to avoid,

"I don't want to be," he said fiercely,

"People rely on me and I let them down." Merlin had a pained and lost look of his face so much so that Remus looked away. When he looked back at the ancient wizard he reverted to their argument and said firmly,

"I am going to return to my friends."

There was a long pause as the most powerful man on the planet considered his werewolf friends indomitable words. Finally he gave in,

"You can't tell them about being me or being immortal."

"They'll notice the change." Remus said thinking of all the injuries his friends helped him overcome,

"Since I know you won't I'll be there to stop that."

"You're going to alter their memories?"

"If I need to." Taking his words as a warning Remus felt himself get angry at the wizard again,

"Is that all?"

"No actually but we can meet your friends now I'm sure they're worried about you."

"You're coming with me?"

"Yes,"

"How are you going to explain yourself?"

"I'll say I was a passing wizard, found you unconscious. I can be from America." Putting on a Southern American accent he drawled,

"Tamar Galloway at your service,"

"This is crazy." Reverting to an English accent Merlin said seriously,

"I haven't told you everything yet and I'm staying by your side until I do!"

"Oh for Merl … just tell me everything so you can leave me alone."

"It's not that simple. Immortals fight each other to the death I will need to re-teach you how to sword fight."

"What?" Remus asked shocked,

"Immortals die if we lose our heads. They believe in the end they can only be one and the more you kill the stronger you get so the greater your chance. We call it the game."

"They?" Remus questioned his word choice,

"It's all a lie but not one I can do anything about,"

"You can't?" disbelief coloured Remus' question,

"It's my fault." Merlin admitted with shame,

"A long time ago I was … bad evil even I was not a wizard back then just an angry immortal on a killing spree. I killed the lover of a very powerful witch. She cursed me and as a result all immortals."

"…" Remus was too shocked to say anything,

"Wizards and witches are born but immortals if they live long enough grow into it. Sort off. It's a different more raw kind of magic."

"The curse?"

"For me to be alone forever."

"Not wanting to kill herself she messed with minds of the immortals convinced them the game was real."

"And you can't undo it?"

"Not yet maybe if I live another five thousand years and immortals are still around."

"FIVE THOUSAND YEARS?"

"Just a guy," Merlin said he didn't always tell Remus his age or that the game was his curse or that he had been Death,

"Five thousand years?" Remus repeated in awe,

"And you can't undo her curse?"

"Strong curses from a powerful witch or wizard are hard to break. That is why they were feared so much by muggles."

"And like the werewolf curse?"

"Exactly you and I have been trying to break that one for over two thousand years."

"Huh?"

"Remus you're the Remus from Romulus and Remus founders of Rome!"

"That's not possible I was a child I have parents!"

"All immortals are foundlings. We just appear in places as mortal babies. When we die our first death we stop aging."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Maybe but it is the truth. I have no idea where we come from."

"So my parents are not my parents?"

"In 1960 your memories went back 284 years and I turned you back into a baby and gave you to your parents."

"What?" Most of the time Merlin didn't tell Remus his own age either,

"Every two to three hundred years you give up so I come along and free you of your werewolf curse. Somehow it always follows you."

"So I founded Rome, was cursed to be a werewolf and every two hundred years you reset me and I grow up, get bitten again and the circle starts again?" Despite being magical and living with the unbelievable every day Remus was not sure he could believe that.

"Yes."

Remus suddenly frowned as he considered another more important issue,

"What were you thinking every time I get bitten everyone around me is in danger?! Why not just cut off my head and be done with it?!"

"Were you not listening to me I've been cursed to be the one, the only immortal alive I need you to live I need as many immortals to live until I can break my curse!"

"So you're not alone," Remus muttered bitterly,

"So I can stop feeling guilty! Back then I personally killed thousands: mortals had such short lives what did they matter. Apt punishment then isn't it to be faced with being responsible for the deaths of all immortals."

"You really think lives don't matter?"

"Not anymore, not for a long time but back then for mortals even thirty years was old and everything was so brutal and everyone so cruel. I was over two thousand years old and so alone and when three immortals asked me to join them I couldn't say no."

"So you killed just because they did?"

"I enjoyed the feeling of being powerful."

Remus felt sick,

"No wonder you won't stop Voldermort you have so much in common! You deserve to be alone! Get away from me!"

"Even if I do immortals, most of them, don't deserve to die – same as other werewolves don't deserve to suffer for your sins." Merlin hated the word 'deserve' full of judgement and righteous anger. He couldn't change who he had been what right did people have to judge him? He paused second-guessing whether to continue when Remus pushed,

"What's that supposed to mean?" Remus was almost afraid to ask,

"Your first mortal life you were taken in by a ruling wizarding family only two sons made it to adulthood. The two of you planned and built a new settlement but argued over who would lead it. The blood, older and more powerful son Romulus wanted to rule but you were young and stubborn. You had just discovered your immortality and decreed it was a sign from the gods you were to lead. Romulus created the werewolf curse to punish and banish you. Of course once he had created it he used it repeatedly. One wizard it was used on changed it so a bite would pass it on. He infected as many people as possible and they attacked Rome."

"If an immortal goes for your head don't used magic." Merlin said and disappeared leaving Remus still shaking his head in denial.


End file.
